The Blizzard
by SingerMe
Summary: A fierce storm hits Dodge.
1. Chapter 1

**The Blizzard**

I don't own these characters. I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

AN: I thought the trolls had left Fan Fiction but apparently not. So I shall ask this as nicely as I can. If you do not like my writing, don't read it. If you feel you must leave a less than kind review, at least sign in under your own name. Nasty guest reviews will be deleted shortly after they're posted.

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Kitty looked up when the front doors opened, allowing in a swirl of cold wind, snow and Matt. "Hey, Matt." She smiled warmly. "How is it out there?"

"Cold and worse." He answered with a shake of his head. "It's only 10 in the morning but that storm out there is making it look a lot later." He looked at the coffee cup in her hand. "You got any more of that?"

"Sure do." She nodded, reached under the bar and pulled out another cup, filling it with the steaming black brew. "Sure hate this weather." She sighed as he sipped at his drink.

Matt shrugged. "Guess it's not too good for business."

"No, but it's not the business I was thinking of." Kitty answered. "I was thinking of all the people stuck out on the prairie with no way to get into town and us no way of getting out of town til this blizzard is over. I was thinking of Doc as well. You know he went out to the Ronnigers before this storm started and hasn't made it back."

"Well, I wouldn't worry too much about Doc, Kitty." Matt finished his coffee. "If this started before he left, then he probably didn't leave."

"But what if it started after?" Kitty didn't like the idea of Doc, or anyone else she cared about, being out in this fierce winter storm that was currently going on.

"Then he probably turned back around and went back to them. You know Doc, Kitty. He's stubborn but he's not reckless. He'll do what's best."

"Yeah, I guess." Kitty answered just as the doors opened again and Festus hurried in.

"Miss Kitty." He nodded at the saloon owner. "Matthew, ya seen Doc?"

"He's out of town." Matt answered. "Why? You sick?"

"Naw." Festus shook his head. "Ain't me that needs him. They's a young couple down to the stable's a lookin' fer him. The missus is a expectin'. She looks about ready to pop."

"Down at the stable?" Kitty looked aghast. "Why? Why didn't you take them over to the Dodge House or Ma Smalley's? That stable's no place for a woman expecting a baby."

"That little girl ain't much a woman or able to do much running around town, Miss Kitty." Festus answered. "But I went my ownself and checked both them places and some more asides and they ain't a room in town to be had. Anybody didn't leave town for this storm got goin' stayed here, including them folks off'n yesterdee evenin's stage."

"Well, then bring them over here." Kitty shook her head at him. "Honestly, Festus. You should've done that first thing when you realized there were no rooms."

"Yes'm." Festus nodded. "Matter of fact, that's why I come over here. I was a hopin' you'd have a place fer em." He said as he turned and hurried out of the saloon.

"Actually, I don't have a place for them." Kitty sighed to Matt. "The rooms upstairs are all taken, but I'll get Ann to move in with Julie and give them Ann's room. It won't be as comfortable as the hotel but it'll be better than a stable." She shook her head as she rounded the bar. "Ann? Julie?" She called the girls over and spoke quietly to them.

Matt could tell by the girl's expressions that they weren't too happy about the new arrangements, but happy or not, they quickly ascended the stairs to clean out Ann's room for the couple.

Just then, Festus returned practically carrying a young blonde woman, her husband on her other side and looking paler than his wife. "Miss Kitty, here they be."

Kitty eyed the young woman worriedly. She was no expert but she had a feeling this girl was, as Festus said, about to pop. "Hello." Kitty nodded warmly and took the young woman's arm from Festus. "I'm Kitty Russell."

"Howdy, Ma'am." The young man spoke up. "I'm Eric Tanner and this is my wife, Maggie. Mr. Haggen, here, said you might have a place where Maggie could lay down. She's getting awfully close to her time and…"

"Eric!" The young woman suddenly bent low and uttered an agonizing groan.

"Matt!" Kitty looked over at Matt imploring him to help. Being not only the tallest man around, he was probably the only man strong enough to carry the girl upstairs.

Matt didn't hesitate as he swiftly moved over to them and reached down, picking the girl up. "Hold on, Ma'am." He smiled as he started for the stairs.

"Last room on the left." Kitty called to him and then turned to Eric. "Mr. Tanner. You go and get your things and then come up to the room. I'll see about getting your wife settled in."

"Alright." Tanner nodded. "And thank you, Ma'am."

"It's alright." She called over her shoulder as she hurried up the stairs after Matt and Maggie.

"Don't you worry about nothing, Eric." Festus tapped him on the shoulder. "Yer wife cain't be in no better hands."

As Festus and Eric left the saloon, Kitty hurried up the stairs, wishing like anything it wasn't her hands, Maggie was in.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Eric paced restlessly up and down the hallway in front of the room Kitty had put Maggie in. He'd heard his wife cry out a couple of times in the last couple of hours but so far that was it. Kitty had asked him to stay outside while she made Maggie comfortable and checked her over. He was doing as she'd asked, but it wasn't easy.

"Well?" He practically demanded as Kitty finally emerged from the room. "She okay?"

Kitty smiled warmly and nodded. "She sure is. She's just fine now."

"And the baby?" He swallowed hard, afraid that news would be bad.

"Well, so far, the baby is fine and quite content to stay where it's at." Kitty grinned. "I'm not a doctor, but I've helped the town doctor quite a bit and I think he would say this was a false alarm."

"You… you mean the baby's not coming?" He asked, not sure if he was happy about that or not.

"Well, unless I miss my guess, that's exactly what I mean. At least not yet. Now that's not set in stone because like I said, I'm not a doctor. But at any rate, it's not coming right this minute." Kitty answered as she patted him on the arm. "Look, why don't you go on in and sit with her. I've got some things to check on. If she needs anything, though, you holler. Okay?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Eric nodded as he shuffled quickly over to the door. "Yes, Ma'am, and thank you."

Kitty didn't have time to reply as he hurriedly entered the room with his wife, closing the door behind him. Shaking her head, she went on down to the bar to check in with Sam and hopefully to find out if Doc had made it back to town.

But it wasn't Doc who came busting in through the front doors, loudly calling her name. "Kitty? Kitty, need some help here."

"What on earth…" She hurried over to where Matt was carrying in a child, a frantic woman and man following in on his heels. "Matt?"

"This the Riser family. They were in a wagon trying to make it into town. Storms so bad they got lost. I was going to ride out to the Ronnigers to check on Doc but I found them instead." Matt carried the little girl over to a back table by the stove and laid her gently down on its surface. "They are all about frozen."

"I don't doubt it." Kitty said as she looked around and spotted Sam. "Sam, do me a favor and go get that cot out of the office. Bring the bedding too. Matt would you help him." As Matt and Sam headed to the back, Kitty turned back to the little girl, gently placed a hand on her cheek and then picked up her hand, rubbing it lightly.

"My Gina gonna be alright?" Mrs. Riser asked in a shaky voice.

Kitty turned and looked closely at the brown-headed woman. Her clothes were worn and thread bare. Her hair apparently hadn't seen a brush or wash in a long time. Her blue eyes were as washed out as her complexion and she was as thin as a rail. Her husband didn't look to be in any better shape. If anything, he looked worse. His lank dark hair was matted and too long and his worn brown eyes spoke of a long journey in the land of misery.

"She'll be fine." Kitty assured her. "We're gonna get her warmed up and get some food into her and she'll be perfect."

"Here's the cot, Miss Kitty." Sam appeared with Matt carrying the cot and bedding. "Oh, thank you. Put it down here by the stove. Matt would you put her in the bed and Sam I need you to come with me." Like a general ordering her troops, Kitty didn't wait for an answer as she headed to the back, Sam in tow, and began to rummage around in her pantry to see what she could fix to feed a lot of people.

When she returned, Matt had managed to get Gina's coat off of her and then to get her tucked into bed. Looking down, Kitty could see the little girl, a miniature of her mother, was smiling sweetly up at Matt. "Well, hello, little one." Kitty winked at her as she sat the tray of food, in her hands, on a nearby table. "You think you could eat something?"

Gina nodded with a smile and struggled to sit up, her mother helping her.

"Good." Kitty kissed the little girl on the forehead and looked over at her parents. "There's some sandwiches here for all of you." She looked at Matt. "I'm going upstairs and check on the Tanners and take them something to eat."

"Alright." Matt smiled at her, proud and yet not surprised at how quickly she reached out to help total strangers. Looking at the small family, he nodded towards the food. "You all go ahead and eat." Without waiting for a reply, he walked over to the bar. "Sam, how are you all for rations?"

"Well, Miss Kitty used the last of the bread for those sandwiches, but she had enough stuff to make a big pot of stew. She put that on while she was back there." Sam answered.

Matt nodded. "You got plenty of coffee?"

"Well, there's a couple of pounds back there." Sam shrugged. "You thinking we're going to be stuck in here for a while?"

Matt looked around the saloon at the small family in the corner and the few others who'd now drifted in to get out of the cold. "I hope not, Sam, but it's looking that way." Shaking his head, he turned for the door. "Tell Kitty I'll be back later."

"Alright, Marshal." Sam answered.

As Matt left the saloon, he quickly buckled his coat up against the cold blowing snow. He had it in mind to head back out again to try and make it to the Ronnigers, but something else came to mind first. In times past, when disasters of any kind struck, people usually found a way to make it to the Long Branch. Tonight was proving to be no different. That meant a big stew and a couple of pounds of coffee weren't going to be enough.

"Sure hope Jonas will understand." Matt sighed as he headed over to the store. As a US Marshal, he had the right to confiscate whatever he needed in times of an emergency but he wasn't sure this qualified as that just yet. However, he had no doubts this blizzard could and most likely would cause one before it left out of Kansas. Using his master key to the store, he opened it and went in.

An hour later, he reappeared at the Long Branch with two rucksacks full of supplies, including a coat and doll for little Gina. He'd left what little cash he had on him on the counter along with a promissory note for the balance.

"Uhm, I don't suppose Mr. Jonas was feeling generous, was he?" Kitty asked with a smirk.

"Nope." Matt grinned at her.

"I thought so. Well, when this mess is over, I'll have Jonas put it all on my account."

"No need." Matt told her as he headed again to the exit.

"Hey?" Kitty called after him. "Where you going?"

Matt looked at the little family in the corner and then glanced upstairs. "To make sure you have a reason to use those supplies." He answered, turned and then left.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I was remiss on the last chapter in thanking those I could not PM. Pam, Gunsmokefan, thank you very, very much. I dearly love being able to share my love of Gunsmoke with you.**

During the next few hours, Matt, along with Festus, returned seven more times, each time bringing someone, or several someone's with them. The Long Branch was now full. Ann and Julie were now sharing a room with Cindy as well. And Cindy's room was now occupied by the Rainey family whose roof had caved in due to the heavy snow. Those people along with townspeople, like Nathan Burke, who had no family and wanted someone to wait out the storm with, were stretching the seams of the building. But Kitty didn't mind as long as there was room for a certain cowboy.

The storm had increased its intensity and it had become practically impossible to see further than a foot ahead. After Matt and Festus brought in the last two people, an elderly couple, the Garner's, that lived in a freezing shack in Rat Hole Alley, Kitty implored with Matt not to go back out.

"Matt, you two will freeze to death out there. That storm has gotten too bad. Please."

Matt looked at those big blue eyes and knew he couldn't tell her no. At least not then. Sighing, he unbuttoned his coat and took off his hat. "By golly, Kitty, you've convinced me. Festus, we're staying put for a little bit."

Festus grinned. "Ya ain't got to tell me twice."

Kitty chuckled. "Good. Now why don't you two go find a table and I'll get you something to eat."

As Kitty walked to the back of the saloon, Matt and Festus located an empty table and headed over to it. But the two men had barely gotten seated when loud voices gathered their attention.

"I said you was cheatin'!"

As Matt got back to his feet, two men pushed back from the poker game they'd been playing and guns were snapped into their hands. "Hold it!" Matt growled as he quickly moved towards the two men. "Put your guns up."

"Uh huh." One of the men shook his head. "He was cheatin' and I want my money back."

Matt turned his attention to the speaker. Jed Gaines, short of stature and almost bald was a down on his luck farmer whose patch of scrubland, he'd homesteaded, had failed to thrive. When his wife died in childbirth, he packed up and moved to town, doing odd jobs around town to make a living. "Jed, you know better than this. You barely have enough money for food, much less for gambling."

"I… I know." Jed readily agreed. "That's why I want my money back from this slick here. He was cheatin'."

"I was not." The other man spoke. Tall, blonde hair and miniscule mustache, he wasn't anyone Matt knew but he looked every bit a gambler.

"What's your name, Mister?" Matt looked suspiciously at him.

"Deakins." The man answered. "William Deakins. I was stranded here by the stage last night. It's kind of boring over in the hotel, so I came over here for a drink and maybe a hand of poker. I didn't realize the people of this town didn't like losing."

"We don't like being cheated, is what we don't like." Gaines yelled.

"Let it go, Jed." Matt told him as he stared at Deakins. "Mister, I don't know if you were cheating or not, but you've played all the poker you're going to today. So you just go on back over to the hotel and get some rest."

"You… you can't make me go out… out there." Deakins was both indignant and aghast at the idea. "You can't see a foot ahead of you out there much less all the way down the street."

"We'll manage." Matt growled as he grabbed the man by the scruff of the neck and propelled him towards the door. "Festus, pick up that money and hold it for me. Tell Kitty I'll be back for my supper."

"Will do er, Matthew." Festus agreed as Matt and Deakins left the saloon. "Jed, why don't you git on over there and sit down somewheres?" Festus waved a hand at him then quickly collected the money on the table and headed over to the bar. "Sam, put this here money some place safe, will ya?"

"Sure will, Festus." Sam held out his hand and Festus placed it in his palm just as a couple of loud reports could be heard from outside. "Guess the storm's getting worse."

"That ain't no storm." Festus shook his head as he headed for the door just as Kitty came in from the back with a tray of food.

"Where's he going?" She asked Sam, placing the tray on the bar.

"Heard something outside and he went to check on it." Sam answered.

A quick scan around the barroom and Kitty knew Matt was out there and that was enough to hurry her to the door. She didn't make it though before the doors opened again and Festus came in with Matt, his hand clasped tightly to his left arm. "Matt!" She yelled as she rushed to his side and guided him into a chair. "What happened?"

"Dude, I was taking back to the hotel." Matt grimaced as Kitty helped him off with his jacket. "He pulled a gun on me. I got him, I think, but not until he got me."

Kitty nodded as she split Matt's sleeve and looked at the wound. "Well, he got you alright, but thankfully, it's not as bad as it could be. Looks like a bad graze but it didn't go in." She looked at Festus. "Festus, help him upstairs to my room, will ya? I'll be up in a minute."

Festus nodded but Matt objected. "No, now, Kitty. I'll be alright."

"Matt." Kitty's tone let him to know she was having none of it. "You've dealing with that blizzard since it started with no rest and no food and now you're hurt. You can't keep this up and I'm not letting do anything more until you've had rest,food and that arm bandaged." When Matt still looked to protest, she looked at Sam and Festus. "Boy's take him up stairs, no matter what you have to do to get him there."

"Come on, Matthew." Festus struggled to hide a grin. "Ya bes do as she says afore she gets on ya like ugly on a ape."

Matt sighed but pushed Festus back. "I think I can get myself up there alone. You two stay down here and keep watch over things. See if you can find that dude and take care of him too. But don't go too far from the saloon. I'll be back down in a couple of hours."

Kitty rolled her eyes as she watched him climb the stairs. "Festus, if I have anything to say about it, he'll be up there a lot longer than that." She kept her voice low so Matt didn't hear.

"Yes'm." Festus no longer attempted to hide his grin.

Grabbing a couple of sandwiches and a bowl of the stew, Kitty headed up the stairs and on to her room. Matt had made it as far as the bed but so far he'd not managed more than that.

"Hang on, Cowboy." Kitty shook her head, sat the food down and then went over to him. With practiced ease, she divested him of his gunbelt, boots and shirt before having him to lie down where she helped him off with his pants. "There," she smiled at him mischievously. "You're exactly as I like to see you."

"You mean hurt and vulnerable?" He raised a brow.

"I mean practically naked and in my bed." She grinned widely.

Matt chuckled despite his painful arm and exhaustion. "Well, I wish I could take advantage of my current situation."

"But you can't." Kitty finished for him. "I can't either. As soon as I doctor your arm, I need to go and check on the Tanner's and get back downstairs to help Sam."

When Kitty came near to look at his arm, Matt reached out and pulled her to him in a kiss and embrace. "You're quite a woman, Kitty Russell. You know that?"

"Oh, Matt, I…"

"You're probably every bit as tired as I am and yet you keep going and giving to people you don't even know and…"

"And I'm not doing anything more than you've been doing." Kitty hushed him with another kiss. "We do what we do, Matt, because we are who we are. Simple as that. Now, sit still while I fix this arm. Then you're going to eat something and get some rest."

"Yes, Ma'am." He grinned.

While Matt and Kitty were upstairs, Festus enlisted the aid of Nathan and they went out to collect the gambler Deakins. Only, he wasn't there, at least not that they could find. But the wind and snow was too fierce and the light from their lamp too weak.

"Come on, Burke." Festus yelled over the wind. "Let's git inside afore we freeze to death. We'll look fer him later. Most likely he's right close but we ain't gonna see him in this."

"Alright," Burke readily agreed. He was cold and he wasn't too much concerned about the disposal of a dead gambler.

As the men moved back inside, however, the gambler was concerned about them. Gripping his side, where he'd been hit by Matt's bullet, he lumbered down the alley, towards what he hoped was the back of the saloon. As soon as he got his side taken care of, he'd come back to take care of them.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Kitty took a deep breath and did her best to hide her exhaustion as she stood at the bar and polished glasses. But Sam noticed it nevertheless. "Miss Kitty, why don't you go upstairs and get some rest? Just about everyone down here is asleep or close to it."

"Oh, I appreciate that, Sam." Kitty smiled at him gratefully. "But I've got a load of dishes to do back there and I need to see what I've got to make breakfast for all these folks. You know it'll be morning before too long."

"Miss Kitty, it's already morning." Sam nodded towards the clock, which read 2 :01. "Honest, nobody's going to be stirring much for a few more hours, go on upstairs and at least take a nap. The dishes will wait until one of the girls gets up and we'll worry about breakfast then."

"Well, what about you?" She asked. "You haven't had any more sleep than I have, maybe less."

"I'll settle in a cot right here by the bar and snooze a little." Sam assured her. "If someone needs something I can hear them and if not, I'll get as much rest as if I were home."

Kitty wasn't sure she believed that but she was really too tired to argue with him. "Alright, then. I'll go on up. But if you need me for anything…"

"I'll call you." Sam grinned.

Shaking her head at him, Kitty grinned back. "I'll be back down in a couple of hours."

When Kitty reached her room, unsurprisingly, she found Matt had already gotten up and left. Knowing him, he was probably back out in the storm trying to see if there was anyone else he could help. That thought worried her. Though she had no doubts that he could take care of himself in normal circumstances, this was storm was beyond the norm.

Deciding to let that thought go, Kitty quickly kicked off her shoes and removed her dress. She left everything else on and climbed wearily into bed. She was practically asleep before her head hit the pillow. But her rest didn't last. An hour later, she was dragged from her slumbers by the sounds of gunfire. It took her a few minutes to get her bearings but when she did, Kitty quickly threw on a clean dress and her shoes and hurried out onto the balcony.

The gambler, Deakins, was back. Standing somewhat shakily in front of the bar, he was holding a gun on Sam and Festus, demanding to know where Matt was. Studying the scene closely, Kitty could tell that Festus was hurt, judging by the blood on Festus' arm. And from the way he was leaning, apparently the gambler was hurt as well.

"Now, you… you tell… me… where that Marsh… al is. I… I want him, now!" He waved his gun between Festus and Sam and whirled around, pointing it at a suddenly pale Burke when he moved back a step. "I… I swear, I'll… I'll kill you if you… if you move."

Kitty could see the man was badly hurt, but that only made him more dangerous. Quickly stepping back into her room, Kitty opened her top dresser drawer and removed the pistol she kept there. She had no intentions of killing Deakins, but she had to somehow stop him.

Moving quietly back onto the balcony, Kitty raised the gun and pointed at the floor just to the left of the gambler's feet. She hated to put a hole in her floor, but it was better than putting one in a person, even that person. Squeezing her eyes shut at the last second, Kitty pulled the trigger and fired.

Instantly, Deakins turned in her direction, gun raised. His attention turned to her, gave Festus all he needed to take a flying leap, landing on the man's back and knocking him senseless. "You alright, Miss Kitty?" Festus hollered up at her as he turned the man over and grabbed the gun he'd held.

"I'm fine, Festus." She called back. "But you're not. You arm's hurt."

"Awe, it ain't nothing." He shook his head. "Sam, ya got some rope or something I kin tie this yahoo up with?"

"I'll get something from the back." Sam answered and quickly moved in that direction.

While, the suddenly awake refugees of Dodge, looked on in amazement, Kitty made her way down the stairs and moved over to where Festus stood, holding the gun on Deakins until Sam returned. "I thought Matt killed him." She swallowed hard looking at him.

"Yeah, Matthew did too." Festus shrugged. "Guess he was a mite tougher than we thought. Maybe he'll be tough enough to last til Ol' Doc gits back to town."

Kitty bent down and moved the man's jacket aside, looking at the gaping hole in his side. "I don't think so, Festus. He looks like he's lost a lot of blood and that wound looks pretty bad."

"Well," Festus shrugged. "Matthew said he got him good. Guess he done that alright."

Sam returned with the rope but Kitty shook her head at him. "Don't need it now. He's gone." She sighed as she got up and looked around. "Sam, can you get a couple of men to help you take him out of here? Maybe out in the alley at least? With this storm, he should be fine there for now."

"Sure will, Miss Kitty." Sam laid the rope down and looked over at Burke and another man. "Come on, men. Let's get him out back."

"Festus." Kitty reached out for him. "Let me look at that arm."

"Aw, it ain't nothing, Miss Kitty." Festus pulled away, but Kitty refused to release her grip.

"Un huh.'' She arched a brow at him as she directed him to a chair. "You're bleeding, Festus, which means it's something. Now sit down here and let me look at it. I swear, you're as bad as Matt."

"Tain't nothing I don't deserve. Betcha Matthew wouldn't'a got caught out like I did here." Festus grumbled as he sat down. "I was jes a snoozing right on whilst that Deakins just come a slinkin' on in here like he had a right to. Why, I…"

"You're just as exhausted as the rest of us are." Kitty stopped him as she quickly cleaned his arm and wrapped a towel around it. "And against a angry man with a gun, I'm not sure Matt could've done better. So quit beating yourself up over it. There, it's the best I can do for now."

"Thank ya, Miss Kitty." Festus glanced at his arm and got up. "Don't guess ol' Doc coulda done no better."

"Well, I don't know about that." Kitty sighed. "But since neither he nor Matt is here, I guess we'll just have to do the best we can."

Festus looked over at her with one squinted eye. "Wha'd'ya mean, Matthew ain't here? I figgered he was a snoozing upstairs."

"Fraid not, Festus." Kitty sighed. "He was gone when I went up an hour ago. He must've gone down the back stairs."

"Well, where to?" Festus wanted to know. "With that there storm a huffin' like it is, there ain't much place he could go to."

"I know." Kitty answered with a shake of her head. "I know." She hated the idea of Matt being out in that blizzard but she had no idea of what to do about it. About the only man in town who stood a chance in that tempest was Matt and if he was lost, anyone going after him would be as well.

"Guess, I oughta go a lookin' fer him." Festus didn't really expect her to agree but he was willing and thinking of going anyway, whether she agreed or not.

"No, Festus." Kitty shook her head. "It's way too bad out there now. It's bad enough Matt is out there without you going too."

"Mayhap I could find em." Festus reasoned.

"Uh huh." Kitty nodded. "And 'mayhap' you could get lost or worse. No, Festus, please. Please just stay here. Okay?"

Festus didn't like it, but he knew she was right. "Yes'm." He finally sighed. "I'll stay."

"Thank you." She smiled but the emotion didn't reach her eyes and it never would if, after the storm passed, Matt didn't return.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

According to the clock on the wall, morning had arrived. But that was the only indicator of it. The storm hadn't abated and if the sun was shining, it was impossible to tell. Kitty had returned to her room after the incident with the gambler, but she found rest hard to come by. The thought of Matt outside in that blizzard still worried her.

After an hour of tossing and turning, she rose again and went back downstairs. By 6 am she had gotten Cindy and Ann to do dishes and was busily, with the help of Julie, preparing a large breakfast for the people who were riding out the storm in her saloon.

"I'm awfully glad the Marshal thought to bring all these groceries over here." Julie said as she measured out some flour for biscuits. "We'd be in a fix if he hadn't."

"Well, that's true enough." Kitty agreed.

"Ma'am?"

Kitty turned around to see Eric Tanner standing nervously at the entrance to the kitchen. "Mr. Tanner, is something wrong?"

"Well, it's Maggie, Ma'am. She's a moaning again and she don't feel too good at all. I know you said it was too early but…"

"Well, it was last night, but no telling about this morning." Kitty answered as she took off the apron she had on and headed out and to the stairs.

Maggie was indeed moaning and apparently in a great deal of pain. Kitty never felt so woefully inadequate in her life. She'd helped Doc deliver a couple of babies but they had been relatively easy births and Doc, of course, had been there.

"Maggie, I want you to just relax now, and I'm going to check you out, okay?" Kitty offered a reassuring smile as she moved the bed covers down and prepared to exam the very pregnant young woman.

"Ahhhhh," Maggie tried to relax and tried to lie still but the child within her was making it very uncomfortable and hard to do. "Am… am I alright." She asked with a grimace.

Kitty straightened up, pursing her lips. Babies had a peculiar habit of coming when they wanted to and not when it was convenient or the proper time. This baby was no different. "You're just fine." She winked at the girl. "And before long, you'll be even better."

"Then it's coming?" Maggie asked hopefully and yet fearfully.

"I think it is." Kitty nodded, turning for the door. "Now, I want you to just relax as much as you can. I'm going to get a few things and then I'll be right back." Eric was pasted to the door and she ran into him as she exited.

"Sorry, Ma'am." He dipped his head. "Is… is Maggie… I mean is she…"

"I don't think it's a false alarm this time." Kitty answered. "Look, why don't you go on in and sit with her while I go down stairs and get a few things. Okay? I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Yes, Ma'am." He nodded. "Thank you, Ma'am."

Kitty nodded as she hurried downstairs. "Sam," she called when she reached the bar. "I need some clean linens and some hot water." Seeing Julie nearby she haled her as well. "Julie, I'm going to need some help upstairs. Okay?"

"Sure, Miss Kitty. What's going on?" The thin brunette, one of Kitty's most popular girls, was also one of her hardest workers. Kitty knew she could trust her to do whatever was needed.

"The Tanner's baby is coming and I'm going to need some help with her." Kitty kept her voice low. Not everyone in the saloon needed to know everything.

"Oh, my God!" Mrs. Riser suddenly stood and yelled, causing all eyes to turn to her. "He's…. he's dead!" She screamed, pointing over at old man Garner, that Matt had brought in the previous night, along with his wife.

Swiftly, Kitty crossed the room and bent down next to him, gently placing a hand on his neck. He wasn't dead but he didn't appear to be just sleeping either. His wife, sitting next to him, wasn't making a sound or moving. Kitty bent next to her and gripped her wrist. She was ice cold and not breathing. Grimacing, Kitty closed the old woman's eyes and then stood up.

"He's not dead, Mrs. Riser. He's unconscious. His wife is the one that's dead." Kitty started to call for Sam but found she didn't have to. He was right beside her.

"We'll take care of her, Miss Kitty." He said softly.

"Thank you." She answered. "And see if you can get her husband settled on a cot or a pallet or something. I don't know what's wrong with him, but he needs to be lying down."

"Yes, Ma'am." He answered as he and Festus carefully picked up the deceased old woman and carried her towards the back.

"Was it something catchin'?" Mr. Riser demanded to know suddenly.

"What?" Kitty frowned. "Catching?"

"What that old woman died with." He clarified. "Did she die of something catchin'?"

Kitty restrained herself from rolling her eyes, but just barely. "I don't think so." She shook her head at him. "She was a very old woman. Most likely it was her heart or something."

"Well, what about her husband?" He pressed.

"What about him?" Kitty was beginning to get a little irritated. "He's a very old man. Neither one of them looks to have lived too easy a life. I doubt you have anything to worry about."

"What if I don't believe you?" He pressed harder.

Kitty paused and then took a step closer to him. "Then you are more than welcome to go somewhere else in town and seek shelter, Mr. Riser." Without giving him a chance to reply, she turned on her heels and headed for the stairs. "Julie, come on." She called her employee. "We've got some work to do."

"Well, I'll be…" Riser sputtered.

"Ya already are." Festus glared at him as he watched Kitty and Julie ascend the stairs.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

"Wah! Wa wa wah!"

Kitty smiled down at the pinched face of the tiny little girl for a moment before she wrapped a blanket around the baby and gently laid it in the arms of her mother. Outwardly, she appeared to be a confident midwife who'd had no concerns when she'd delivered the little girl. But inwardly, she was wiping sweat from her brow and thanking the man upstairs the birth hadn't been a complicated one.

Julie, standing beside her, looked on in awe. She'd never seen a baby born before and was amazed at the miracle before her eyes as well at the skills her employer had, that she'd known nothing of.

"Is… is she alright?" Maggie Tanner asked wearily as she looked down into the face of her daughter.

"Well, I want Doc Adams to look at the both of you when he makes it back to town, but I think she's fine, you too." Kitty answered as she and Julie cleaned up. "Julie, if you'll take all that to the back, I'll take care of it later." She handed the last of the dirty linens to her.

"Yes, Ma'am." Julie answered as she headed towards the door. "You have a beautiful baby." Julie smiled at the new parents as she left.

"She's right." Kitty agreed. "And I'm going to leave you two alone for a while to enjoy her. But I'll be just downstairs if you need…"

Just then, Kitty heard shouting coming from downstairs, angry voices rising clear to the second floor. "Excuse me." She pursed her lips as she quickly left the room and headed for the stairs. But she hadn't reached the top step when she saw the cause of the confusion.

Sam and Festus were standing in front of the cot, where they'd placed the elderly Mr. Garner earlier, and Lucas Riser along with Nathan Burke and another man, she didn't know, faced them, demanding they take the old man out and place him with his wife.

"I done tolt ya, that ain't a gonna happen." Festus growled, hand hovering near his gun, though he hadn't drawn it yet. "This here old man ain't daid and I ain't gonna kill him jes cause you're a feared of something we don't even know is true, ya ninny."

"Festus?" Kitty called as she quickly descended the stairs and crossed the floor. "What's going on here?" She put her fists on her hips and stared at the men around her.

"These men want to throw this old man out of here, Miss Kitty." Sam answered when he saw the look on Festus' face. The hill man was about to blow a gasket. "Festus and I have been trying to explain to them we can't do that."

Kitty turned around and narrowed her eyes at the other three men. "Is that right? You want us to basically kill this man? Why? What's he done to you?"

"Well, it ain't that's he done anything to us, Miss Kitty." Nathan spoke up. "It's just that, we… well, we want to make sure that he doesn't do anything to us."

"Like what?" Kitty snapped. "Look at him, Burke. That old man is too sick to do anything to you or anybody else."

"But that's just the point." Burke answered, clearly exasperated that she didn't understand his concern. "We don't know what's wrong with him. It could be anything. What if it's catching? I mean, it's already killed his wife. What if we're next?"

"Burke, you don't know how much I…" Kitty stopped herself from finishing that thought, at least out loud. Taking a breath, Kitty crossed her arms against her chest and stared at each man in turn. "Now look, we have no idea what's wrong with this man. Most likely, he's just old and hasn't had a decent meal in a long time. As for his wife, she too was old, Burke. And she wasn't in any better shape than he was. Most likely, she died from some sort of natural cause. But no matter what she died of, her husband isn't going to die along with her, at least not at our hands. Do you understand me?" She took a step closer to him and noted gleefully, without showing it, that Burke and the other two men took a step back.

"If the Marshal were here, I'd bet he'd put that old man out of here for the sake of the rest of us." Burke simpered in a low voice as he slunk away.

Kitty held her tongue. She knew Matt well enough to know he would not throw the man out in the cold as Burke and the others wanted her to. But she wasn't so sure he would just let him lie there in the midst of everyone if there was a chance he had something 'catchin'.

"Miss Kitty, you figure they'll leave this man alone now?" Sam asked as the three moved away.

"I don't know, Sam." Kitty shook her head. "But you and Festus kind of keep an eye on this old fella, will ya? Make sure nobody bothers him. "

"Ya don't think nuthin' is wrong with him, the way they think, do ya?" Festus glanced back at the still unconscious man behind him.

Kitty lowered her voice. "I don't know, to tell you the truth. I don't think so, but I don't really know. I just know that until Doc comes back and looks at him, or he dies one, I'm not letting anyone here touch him. Okay?"

"Yes'm." Festus nodded. "I'll see to him. Ain't nobody a goin' through me, I garontee ya that."

"Thank you, Festus." Kitty smiled warmly at him then at her bartender. "Sam, I'm going to the back for a little bit. Call me if you need me."

"Yes, Ma'am." Sam nodded.

Wearily, Kitty went into the back of the saloon and into her office, closed and locked the door and then sat down heavily in her chair. She was tired, exhausted really and she sorely wanted and, more importantly, needed Matt to be there with her. Not just because she missed him and was worried beyond belief about him, but because doing this alone was damn hard.

Though not unused to bearing responsibility for herself, as well as others, she was coming close to a breaking point. She'd had to play law keeper, doctor and businesswoman, as well as chief cook and bottle washer for far longer than she wanted to.

For several moments, Kitty sat holding her head in her hands and contemplating her situation. Finally, she brought her head up and took a deep breath. She'd been feeling sorry for herself, she decided. Although, she'd mostly been the one in charge around here, she knew she hadn't done everything entirely alone. Sam and her girls and Festus had been a tremendous help to her and she knew she probably wouldn't have a saloon standing if it hadn't 0f been for them. And though, Matt had been gone most of this storm, he had helped also when he was there.

"Suck it up, Kitty." She told herself as she got to her feet. "You have to work to do and no business feeling pity for herself."

Shaking her head as her moment of weakness, Kitty got up, left her office and went into the Kitchen. The noon hour was fast approaching and it was time to see about preparing dinner for the people taking sanctuary in her saloon.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: I owe each reader a personal thank you but due to a severe migraine, I am going to have to let this be my thank you this time and promise to do better next time. I appreciate you all.**

Kitty stood at the bar going over her books. It might've been more comfortable in her office, but with Burke and Riser, along with the man she didn't know, still grumbling about the old man, she felt better be out in front, keeping an eye on things. Besides, with Sam taking a well-deserved, yet protested break, she really needed to be out there.

"Miss Kitty?"

Kitty looked up at Cindy, a short, sort of plump blonde with an infectious smile and big blue eyes. "Yeah?"

"I checked that old man out, like you asked." Cindy leaned in and kept her voice low. "I don't know what's wrong with him. He don't have no fever and he doesn't appear to be having no trouble breathing or nothing but he just won't wake up."

Kitty glanced over at the old man, lying on a pallet in the far corner of the room. She didn't know any more about dealing with something like this than Cindy did. If it had been a wound he was suffering from, she might've been able to help him, but not this. This was something for Doc.

"Uh, alright, Cindy. Thanks. We'll just leave him be for now and hope Doc makes it back to town before long."

"And if he don't?" Cindy cast an uneasy look in the three men's direction.

"I'll figure it out." Kitty sighed. "Look, don't worry about it. Why don't you go take a break or something? Nothing's going on right now and you deserve it."

"Alright, Miss Kitty." Cindy nodded gratefully and headed upstairs.

Kitty started to turn back for her books but was distracted when she saw Festus stand, grab his coat and begin to put it on. "Festus?" She called him over to her. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm a fixing on goin' out and seein' if'n I cain't find Matthew or ol' Doc." He answered. "Matthew most likely went after him and they ain't no tellin' what he's got his self up to. That there storm seems to be a blowing a little lighter now so's I figger it's time enough for me to go."

"Un huh." Kitty immediately shook her head at him. "Festus that storm hasn't abated since it started last night and the drifts are no telling how high. You go out there and you could be as lost to me as…" She stopped. She'd been purposely putting the thought of Matt and where he was and what could be happening to him out of her mind. She knew that if she'd dwelled on it, she wouldn't have been able to do what she needed to.

"He ain't lost to ya, Miss Kitty." Festus said softly. "He's most likely holed up somewhere like a big ol' coon jes a waitin' for the storm to quit. But I know he ain't lost."

"Yeah," she answered gruffly, avoiding meeting Festus' gaze. She knew he'd see how very worried she really was about that.

"Miss Kitty." Kitty looked up with a sigh when she saw Nathan Burke in front of her.

"What?" She offered him neither a smile nor encouragement. She was not too fond of Burke on her best days and this was not her best day.

"Uh, we uh… well, we've been talking…. I mean the men and I have been and we… well, we've come to demand that you put that old man in the back somewhere. It's just not safe for the rest of us to have him in here."

"You demand?" She arched a brow. "Just when did you get the right to demand anything of me in my own place?"

"Well…" Burke physically flinched when he saw Kitty's expression and the way Festus' head came up with a squint-eyed glare in his direction. "May… maybe, demand is too strong a word but…"

"No it's not." The man that had been huddled at the back with Burke and Riser, stood up and marched over to where they stood. "We have a right to demand that…"

"A right!?" Kitty angrily cut him off as her hands sought their home on her hips. "Just where do you come off with that? You have no rights at all in my place, Mister."

"Yes, I do." He declared, taking a threatening step forward.

Instantly, Festus moved in front of Kitty, his right hand curling into a fist. "Mister, I ain't got no idee who ya are, but yer a fixing on meeting my fist if'n ya take one more step."

"My name is Rucker." The man tried to stare Festus down, but quickly realized this scruffy hill man was not going to be easily backed down. "I'm an attorney from St. Louis on my way to Denver. I know the law and I know that as your customers we have…"

"You have nothing." Kitty moved out from behind Festus. "Since you've been in this place, you haven't laid one thin dime on that bar top and paid for any one of the meals you've been fed or the firewood we've been steadily putting in that stove to keep you warm or that bottle you took from behind the counter when you thought I wasn't looking. That means, you're not a customer; you're a freeloader. And freeloaders, Mister, are not entitled to any rights in my place."

"Why you little…" Rucker took one more step forward; which was all the reason Festus needed to punch the man before he could move more than an inch.

Before Kitty could blink, the two men were earnestly engaged in a fist fight that Riser and a couple of others looked interested in joining. Kitty turned and headed for the bar to get Sam's shotgun when a voice from behind her sounded.

"Hold it!"

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Though the volume of his voice wasn't especially loud the authority it held made up for it. Matt moved further into the saloon, followed by Doc. Scowling at each man in turn, Matt finally settled his gaze on Rucker. "Alright, what's this all about?"

Kitty took a deep grateful breath and quickly went to his side. "That man there and Mr. Riser and Burke were wanting me to throw an old man out into the snow. I refused."

"Throw… why?" Matt frowned.

"Cause they think he's sick." Kitty answered as she looked at Doc. But she didn't have to say a word as Doc was already moving in old Mr. Garner's direction.

"Yeah, Matthew." Festus got up from the floor and quickly pushed Rucker back when he too tried to rise. "That yahoo there, was gonna try and force Miss Kitty to do what he said, Matthew. I was jes makin' sure they didn't."

"What's your name, Mister?" Matt scowled at the man when he finally gained his feet.

"My name is Rucker." The man scowled at Festus and Kitty as well as Matt. "I was only voicing my opinion and asserting my rights to…"

"I've already told you, that you didn't have any rights in here." Kitty put in. "This is my bar, Mr. Rucker."

"That's right." Matt agreed. "And this is my town which means you get to be my guest in the jail."

"You… you can't arrest me. I've haven't done anything." Rucker protested.

"How about threatening a business owner and disturbing the peace." Matt asked.

"I… I didn't threaten her." Rucker's voice grew high and tinny. "I just wanted what was right for all of us. And… and besides, that… storm out there is…"

"Is just about over." Matt answered.

"Really?" Kitty's eyes widened.

"Yeah, winds still going, but it's stopped snowing and you can see where you're going now." Matt looked at Festus and then his arm. "You okay?"

Festus glanced at the bloody bandage on his arm. "What? This? Awe, it ain't nuthin' but a scratch, Matthew."

"Good." Matt nodded. "Then would you mind escorting Mr. Rucker here over to the jail? I'll be over later."

"I sure will, Matthew. Be glad to." He grinned at Rucker. "Come on, you."

"You… you can't arrest me!" Rucker sputtered. "I… I didn't do anything."

Matt stepped closer to him and grabbed the front of his shirt. "You irritated me and more importantly, you bothered her." Matt jerked a thumb in Kitty's direction. "Now to me, that's plenty to arrest you with. And if it's not, I'll think of something more later. Now you can go peaceably with Festus, or I can carry you over. Which will it be?"

Rucker didn't answer and before he could move away, Festus grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and shoved him towards the door.

"Festus," Kitty called after him. "The storm may be ending but it's still cold out there. Put your coat on and come back later for a drink."

"Yes'm." Festus nodded with a smile and grabbed his coat from the bar. "Burke, throw me this feller's coat."

Burke, grateful he wasn't going to the jail with Rucker, quickly complied. As he passed Matt and Kitty, he did his best to pretend he didn't see the looks they gave him.

Kitty looked up at Matt with a relieved smile. "I sure am glad to see you. Where did you disappear to?"

"Well, I knew you were worried about Doc and with Mrs. Tanner about to have that baby, I figured the best thing I could do was to go and find him."

Kitty shook her head. "So you took off in a blizzard?"

"Yeah." Matt nodded. "And as you can see, I found Doc. I got lucky too. I was heading out to the Ronnigers but the storm got too bad. So I stopped at a little farm just at the edge of town and found Doc there. He was almost to town when the storm struck and landed there too. Anyway, as soon as the storm abated, we came on into town."

Kitty tilted her head at him. "Did it ever dawn on you that by going out in that mess, it made me worry about you too?"

"Well, I know, Kitty." Matt shrugged. "But you were worried about Doc and well…"

"Come on, Cowboy." Kitty sighed with a smile. "I'll get you a drink."

Later on, when Festus returned to the saloon, he and Matt, along with the requisitioned aid of several others, helped every one they could to get back to their homes, if they had one.

The elderly Mrs. Garner along with Deakins, the gambler, was taken over to the undertakers. It was plain to see what killed Deakins, but it took Doc to explain Mrs. Garner's death. He'd been treating he for heart problems for some time and apparently the blizzard was the last straw. "She died of a heart attack." Doc took a thoughtfully sad swipe of his mustache. "I've been expecting that for a while now."

Most everyone else, except a few, had been moved over to the hotel, much to Howie's displeasure. But one look at Matt's face and he quickly found a way to house them.

Mr. Garner was at Doc's, where Doc took him after examining Maggie Tanner and her baby.

"Young Lady," Doc grinned at Kitty. "You did a darn fine job with that baby. Almost couldn't have done better myself."

"Almost?" Kitty arched a brow.

"Yep, almost." Doc nodded. "After all, I am the best doctor in Dodge, and everyone knows it."

The only people left at the Long Branch, now, were Matt and Kitty, Kitty's girls, the Tanners, the Raineys and Sam. Sam had planned on going back to his home but Kitty implored him to stay there where it was warm and she didn't have to worry about him. Willingly, Sam agreed and was sleeping comfortably on a cot near the downstairs stove.

The Rainey's who hadn't stepped foot outside of their borrowed room since they'd entered it, had had no idea of the many things that took place and didn't care. When Kitty knocked on their door to check on them, she found they were contently asleep in each other's arms. Kitty decided later would be time enough to get them food and what ever else they needed.

In the morning, Matt and Festus were going to collect some volunteers, willingly or not, and they would see what they could do about getting at least the sidewalks cleared and maybe even a path down the street for traffic. But that was in the morning. This was in the night, and Matt had other things on his mind.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: One more time, I want to thank all of you for the wonderful reviews. I truly appreciate each and every one. God bless you all.**

Matt and Kitty lay contently in each other's arms in her rooms above the now silent Long Branch.

Lying on his back and slightly sitting up, Kitty half lying on his chest, Matt softly chuckled. "You know, I still can't get over old Mr. Garner. He wasn't upset in the slightest by his wife's death. Doc said the old man claimed it was the first time in years he'd gotten any rest without her nagging him or snoring."

Kitty joined in the chuckle for a moment before sobering. "Well, I'm glad he wasn't as sick as he looked. Doc said, he was pretty much just passed out from exhaustion."

"No, wonder if his wife wouldn't let him sleep." Matt chuckled again until he noticed Kitty's silence. "Sorry. Just joking."

Kitty sighed. "I wonder if he'll feel that way about her later, when he realizes she'll never come back."

"I don't know." Matt answered. "But I'll tell ya what, if it were me, I wouldn't feel that way ever." He stopped for a second when Kitty raised her head to look at him. "I know I don't say it very often, Kitty, but I'm awfully proud of you. You took in strangers, doctored them, fed them, defended them and did it all alone. Not many women could do what you did."

Kitty laid her head back down. "Ah, Matt, I didn't do it all alone. I had Sam and the girls here as well as Festus. We all just did what we had to."

"Yeah, but we both know, it took you to organize it all and hold the fort. Neither Sam nor your girls could've delivered that baby like you did. And I doubt any of them would've known exactly what to do when that baby began to come." When Kitty didn't reply, Matt gently raised her chin to look at him. "Kitty, I meant what I said, I'm proud of you. Every time I ride out of town, I go knowing that I have you here, to take care of things until I get back."

"Me?" She questioned. "I'm not your deputy or…"

"No, you're my life." Matt answered simply. "You're the one that makes life worth living for me. When I ride out, I do so knowing that you'll be waiting here for me when I get back. That knowledge makes me just a little more cautious cause I want to live to get back. But it also makes me a little more daring at the same time. I take chances sometimes that, well, they may seem fool hardy but they make things go a little quicker and easier, if I do them right, so that I can home."

Kitty was silent for so long, Matt wasn't sure what to think. "Kitty, if I said…"

"You said more than you have in a long time, Matt Dillon." She smiled up at him. "I know you're not much of a talker. But when you do talk, you say a whole lot." Leaning up, Kitty captured his lips in a kiss meant to convey many things. "I love you, Matt and I always will."

"I love you too, Kitty and I always will." He returned the kiss and took it further. "Now, what do you say, we quit talking and do something better." His hand moved lower, rekindling the fire they'd earlier banked.

"On, one condition." She answered as she placed a hand on his shoulder to hold him back.

"Oh?" He arched a brow. "What's that?"

"That you practice more caution and less daring when you're away from me. I promise that no matter how long it takes you to get here, I'll be waiting."

"Deal." Matt answered as he quickly gripped her by the waist and flipped her under him. "Now, stop talking, woman, and make love to me."

"Yes, Sir." She replied with a soft chuckle.

END


End file.
